Equalizer for platen presses or the like



Aug. 10, 1948. J. M. w. GRANT EQUALIZER FOR PLATEN PRESSES OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 18, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 10, 1948. J. M. w. GRANT EQUALIZER FOR PLATEN PRESSES OR THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1945 w m QM 333233333:

Au 10,- 1948. J M, w, GRANT 2,446,823

EQUALIZERFOR PLATEN PRESSES OR THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 18, 1945 Patented Aug. 10, 1948 EQUALIZER FOR PLATEN PRESSES OR THE LIKE James M. W. Grant, Ansonia, Conn, assignor to Farrel-Birmingham Company,' Inc., Ansonia, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application October 18, 1945, serial N6. 623,013

(or. 1s 17) 5 Claims.

This invention relates to equalizing means for platen presses, and as illustrated it pertains to a machine in whichrubber or rubberized belts may be pressed and vulcanized.

Such a device usually comprises two or more platens, one of which will be fixed and the remainder movable, so that one or more belts may be suitably stretched between the platens and thereafter pressed by the movement of the movable platen or platens toward the fixed platen. In order to stretch the belt, clamping and stretching devices are usually provided at each end of the press.

Such presses are usually of considerable length in that it is desired to treat a considerable length of a belt at one operation, and the movable platen or platens have been raised or moved toward the fixed platen hydraulically by means of pistons and cylinders. Difficulty has been encountered in the past in that-the movable platen or platens do not always move evenly and equally toward the fixed platen. This may be due to deficiencies in water supply or variations in hydraulic pressure in the various cylinders and to other causes such as differences in packing friction or the like which result in failure to secure even and uniform movement of the movable platen.

Also, in some instances, the clamping and stretching devices are provided externally of the press and, as it is desirable that their movement be uniform with that of the movable platen, means should be provided to insure movements of these devices equal to and uniform with that of the movable platen with which they cooperate.

It is contemplated in the present invention to i provide hydraulic means for raising the movable platen or platen press and, at the same time, provide mechanical interconnections between spaced points on the platen so that the movement of the platen at one point will insure an equal movement of the platen at a spaced or remote point at which the connection is made. Therefore, the raising effect of the hydraulic cylinders will be equalized so that no point on the platen will lag behind another point, and the hydraulicpressure acting against one point of the platen will also by this interconnecting mechanism be transferred to a spaced or remote point on the platen.

Where the clamping and stretching devices are made rigid with the movable platen, they will, of course, move uniformly with it. However, in machines in which external clamping and stretching devices are provided, it is contemplated to extend the interconnecting mechanism previously referred to, to the clamping and stretching devices so that not only will uniform movement ofthe platen be 'insured, but also movements of the clamping and stretching devices will be efiected uniformly with the movement of the-platen.-

One object ofthe present invention is to'fpr o- .vide a novel equalizing mechanism for platen presses or like machines.

A further object of the invention is to provide a platen press or like mechanism whichwill be provided with hydraulically, operated means. for lifting a movable platen, and in addition mechanical connections betwe en spa-cedor remotepoin'ts on the platen to insure equal and uniform move..- ments thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a platen press or the like having hydraulic mechanism for raising the movable platen thereof, with a, plurality of levers pivoted intermediate their ends,- the levers each having one end con.- nected to the platen and the other ends inter.- connected with each-other whereby movement of the platen at one point will be accompaniedby equal movementsof the platen at all points along its length.

A still furth I object of the inventioni s to pro-'- vide an equalizing mechanism of; the type pr viously described whichw-ill not only insure equal movements of the platen of a platen press-but wi11 also insure that the movements of the clamping and stretching devices will be uniform with that of the platen;

- To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafterdescribed and claimed. I

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a platen press embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 isa detail side elevatlonal viewof the equalizing mechanism, parts of thepressibeing omitted for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the press on line 3-3 ofFig.1;- Fig. 4 is a side elevational view'of a multiple platen press having external clamping and stretching devices embodying my invention; Fig. 5 is asectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6. is asectionalview on line ii 6 ofFig. fl; and I I Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 'I--'l of Fig.4}. To illustrate one embodiment of my invention, I have shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings a platen I consisting of base me bers lllhaving mounted thereona plurality of press comprising a frame lower cross .beams ll connected by tie rods 12 to 3 on their lower surfaces the upper platen I4 (Fig. 3).

A bed I 5 is slidably mounted on the tie rods I2 by means of brackets I6 secured to the side edges of the bed, and upon the upper surface of this bed rests the movable platen I1. v

Upon the beams I I are mounted'hydraulic cylinders I8 having plungers or pistons I9 movable therein, upon which plungers is carried the bed I5 so that this bed and the movable platen 'II may be raised hydraulically towardthefiflxed platen. As shown in the drawing, two rows-or banks of cylinders I8 are provided, the cylinders of each row being spaced.relativelyzcloseftogether so as to provide a suflicient number .thereof to exert heavy pressure on the belt or other vious that each of the bell crank levers has one arm. connected to the platen or the bed which device which it is designed to compress =between the platens.

At one end of the bed I5 is secured a clamping device comprising the frame having mounted therein clamping'jaws 2I and 22, the latter being movable toward the 'jaw M by means of the hydraulic cylinder 23. At the other end of the bed is mounted a clamping'a-nd stretching frame'24, thisframe having clamping jaws 25 and 26, the latter being movable toward the jaw 25 by means of the hydraulic cylinder 21. In this instance, the jaws 25 and 26 are mounted in aframe' 28 movablewith respect to the frame 24- and designed to-be'moved on the latter frame bythe-hydraulic-cylinder 29 so that, after abelt hasbeen clamped between the jaws 2I and 22 at one 'end, it may be' stretched by movement of the frame 28 to properly stretch the belt before the pressing operation. The'parts thus far described maybe of the conventional or usual construction and, as illustrated, the frames-20 and 24 which carry the clamping device are rigid with the bed I5 so that these devices will move with the platen I1.

As previously stated, it has beenfound that 'due to deficiencies in water pressure or lack-of uniformity of resistance offered to the movement of the platen at various points along its lengthyuniform and equal movements of all parts of the platen have not been obtained. *The present invention, which will" now be 1 described,- pertains. tom'echa-nism-which will-insure such uniform and equal movement. r a

Upon the cross beams II are mounted a plurality of brackets 31, these brackets 'being'arranged inpairs; one at each side of the-frame of the -press, and the-pairs-being arranged in spaced relation along 'the-length'of the press. *Asmany pairs of these brackets 'may-"be provided as is *found'desirable, three of such pairs being shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, these being=arranged 'oneadjacent each end of the'platen' and one adjacent the-central portion thereof. However,

more may be provided if necessary.

Rotatably mounted in each pair of brackets 3| are pivot rods or shafts 32, each of the shafts having abll crank lever-33 secured'toeach end thereof; so' that these'bell crank levers will be pivotally mounted on the frame adjacent their intermediate portions. A link 34- is pivoted at one end to one end of each of the bellcrank levers as shown at 35, and the other end of each bftliese links ispivote'd" at 36' to the lower portion. of theb'ed' I5, so that asthe bed moves the bell crank levers will be correspondingly moved in the same direction.

having threaded rods 38 secured the'reto to whic supports ,the, platen and that the other arm of each bell crank lever is connected to the corso that each of these levers is interconnected,

thus insuring equal movements thereof if one is moved. vAs they are connected to the platen at spaced points along the length thereof as well as on both sides of the machine when the hydraulic lifting-mechanism tends to raise one point of the platen, uniform movements of the platen throughout its area, will beeffected as uniform movements of all of the bell crank levers will result, and they in turn will act upon the various points of the platen to which they are connected, serving asan auxiliary to the hydraulic lifting mechanism at that point if there is any tendency of the latter to lag and thus insure that the movable platen is raised evenly and uniformly toward the fixed platen to exert uniform pressure upon the belt being pressed.

In the form of my device above described, the clamping devices at each end of the bed- I5-are carried upon supports rigid with the bed, so that these'clamping devices are moved with the bed and the movable platen. 1 In some instancea however, these clamping devices are externally mounted, and, therefore; provision must be made for insuring movements of these devices with'the platen with which they cooperate, and also in some presses a plurality of movable platens are provided so that a plurality of belts may be simultaneously pressed. In Figs. 4 to 7 of the-drawings, I have shown my inventionas applied to a platenpress having clamping and stretchingdevices mounted externally of the movable platens.

As shown in Fig. 4, the press is,ingeneral, constructed in a manner similar to the press shown -in-Figs. 1 to 3, in that it is provided with the cross beams I land I3 connected by the tie rods I 2 and with an upper fixed platen l4 and the lower movable platen I1 mounted upon the bed I5 which isslidable-upOn the tie rods I2 and'moved by the' h-ydraulic lifting mechanism =I'8.

Between the platens I4 and I5 is a third floating: platen 45 slidablymounted on the rods I2 and movably connected with: the platen I4 .by

means of'limiting rods which limit the downward movem'ent of the platen 45. It will be understood that in this instance onebelt will be-pressed between the platens I1 and '45 and other between the platens I4 and 45, the lower platen first being raisedagainst the floating platenand. thereafter both being raised against the fixed platen I4.

At each endof the frame-of the press are a pair of spaced frames or standards 41 upon which is slidably mounted a support 48 for the clamping and stretching devices, the frames 41 at one end being tied together with those at the other end by the beams 49. To each of thesupports 18 :are secured cables 48, which cables pass over pulleys '50 a and lead to suitable counterweights (not shown), so-that little efiort willbe required-to raise these frames,

Mounted in the right-hand support 48 is a frame 52 slidable lengthwis of the support by means of the hydraulic mechanism 53, which frame carries clamping jaws 54 adapted to be closed by the hydraulic cylinders 55, which clamping and stretching device is designed to be employed in connection with the belt to be pressed between the lower platen ll and the floating platen 45. At the left-hand end of the device, the clamping device 55 is carried by the standard 41 to cooperate in stretching the same belt, this clamping device carrying jaws designed to be closed by the cylinders 51. The clamping device 56, however, is mounted for vertical sliding movement in the standard 41 as shown at 58 in Fig. 5 of the drawings. This clamping device, which cooperates with the lower belt, may move independently of the support 48 at that end of the frame, it being remembered that the support 48 is also slidably mounted on the standards according to the arrangement shown in this figure. Connected to each of the cylinders 51 is a cable 60 passing over a pulley 6i and connected to a suitabl counterweight (not shown) so as to balance the weight of the clamping device.

At the right-hand end of the frame, a vertically movable clamping device 86 is slidably mounted in the standard 41 similarly to the clamping device 56 already described to cooperate with the upper belt being pressed between the platens i4 and 45, and in the left-hand support 48, a clamp ing and stretching device 62, similar to the device 52, is slidably mounted and adapted to be moved to the left by the cylinder 83 to stretch the upper belt. Thus it will be seen that the clamping and stretching devices 52 at one end of the machine cooperate with the clamping devices 55 at the other end of the frame, while th clamping and stretching devices 62 at the left-hand end of the frame cooperate with the clamping devices 66 at the right-hand end of the frame,

Rotatably mounted in spaced brackets "Hi secured in pairs to the lower cross beams II are pivot shafts or rods I I and secured to each of the rods 10 are a pair of hell crank levers 12, one at each side of the frame, one end of each of the levers being connected to the bed i5 by the link 13, and the other ends of each of these bell crank levers being interconnected'by the adjustable tie rod 14 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings in order to secure accurate and uniform movements of the platen H.

In order to secure movements of the clamping and stretching devices which shall be uniform with those of the platens, an arm 15 is secured to each end of each of the shafts H, each of these arms being connected by a longitudinally adjustable tie rod 16 to a bell crank lever Tl, these levers being arranged in pairs and secured one at each end of rods I8 rotatably mounted in the standards 41.

The other arm of the bell crank lever 11 at the right-hand end of the frame is pivotally connected at 19 to a link 80 pivoted at its upper end to the support 48 so that movement of this bell crank lever 11 will serve to raise and lower the support ,48 at that end of the frame, which it will be remembered will also serve to raise and lower the clamping devices 54. Secured to the shaft 18 at the right-hand end of the frame are a pair of crank arms 82 connected by links 83 to th clamping devices 66 to raise these devices. The connections between the arms 82 and the links 83 is a lost motion connection as will be presently de scribed. 1

One end of each of the bell cranks H at the left-hand end of the frame have a lost motion connection at 84 with a link 85 pivoted at its upper end at 88 to the support 48, so that movement of these bell crank levers will raise the support 48 and the clamping device 62. Also secured to the shaft 18 at this side of the frame are additional crank arms 82 pivoted at 81 (Fig. 6) to links 88, which links are secured to the clamping devices 56 to raise the latter. It will be understood that the lost motion connection between the arm 82 and the rod 83 on the right-hand end of the machine is similar to the lost motion connection 84 at the left-hand end of the machine. I

Thus it will be seen that the support 48 at the right-hand end of the machine and the clamping device 56 at the left-hand end of the machine are connected to the shafts 18 by the links and 88, and will thus serve to-move together while the device 65 at the right-hand end of the machine and the support 48 of the left-hand end of the machine are connected to the shafts 18 by means of the rods 83 and 85 through lost motion connections shown at 84, so that these devices which cooperate with the upper belt will not be raised until the lower platen has contacted the floating platen and the latter begins its upward movement. i

The operation of this device is as follows: When the lower platen I'I begins its upward movement, uniform movement of this platen over its entire area will be insured by means of the bell crank levers 12 in the manner.previouslydescribed in connection with the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings. At the same time, the crank arms I5 connected to the tie rods 16 will be moved to the left which will serve to rotate the bell cranks l1 and shaft 18 to which the bell cranks are secured in a clockwise direction. At the beginning of this movement of the bell crank 17, the support 48 at the right-hand end of the machine and the clamping device 58 at the lefthand end of the machine will be moved uniformly with the platen H as there is a direct connection between these devices and the shafts 18. This movement will continue until the lower platen I1 is moved upwardly against the floating platen 45. Thereafter the latter will be carried upwardly with the lower platen I1 and, at the same time that the movement of the floating platen begins, the left-hand support 48 and the right-hand clamping devices 66 will be moved by the links 83. and 85, which due to their lost motion connection with the shaft 18 have not been moved heretofore. From this point, all parts of the device will move together evenly and uniformly until the floating platen has been moved against the fixed platen 14 to properly press both belts.

While I have shown and described some preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A belt press comprising a frame, a pair'of platens thereon, one of which is movable relatively to the other, hydraulic means for moving one platen toward the other, a clamping device at each end of the frame, a plurality of bell crank levers pivoted to the frame at spaced points, means interconnecting one arm of each of said levers, and means connecting-the other arms of said levers to the platen and clamping .devices respectively to insure uniformt-movement of the platen and of the platen and the clamping device.

2. A belt press comprising a frame, a .fiXed platen and a plurality of movable platens supported thereon, a clamping device ateach end of the frame to cooperate with each of said movable platens, means movably supporting said clamping devices, interconnected members pivoted to the frame and connected to one of the movable platens at spaced points along its length, to insure substantially equal movements of the platen at such points, and means connecting said members to the clamping devices, certain of said last named means comprising a lost motion connection.

3. A belt press comprising a frame, a fixed platen and a plurality of movableplatens supported thereon, a clamping device at each end of the frame to cooperate with each of said movable platens, means movably supporting said clamping devices, interconnected members pivoted 'to the frame and connected to one of the movable platens at spaced points along its length, and means connecting. said members to certain of the clamping devices by a lost motion connection and to the other clamping devices by a direct connection.

in belt press comprising a frame, a fixed platen and a plurality'of movable platens supported thereon, a clamping device at each end of the frame to cooperate with each of the movable platens, standards at each end of the frame supporting said clamping devices, a plurality of bell crank levers pivoted to the frame, each having one arm connected to one of the movable platens, means interconnecting the other arms of 30 Number said bell crank levers, bell crank levers pivoted on said standards and connected to saidclamping devices, and means connecting said lastnamed bell crank levers to the bell crank levers pivoted on the frame.

5. A belt press comprising a frame, a--fixed platen and. a plurality of movable platens supportedthereon, a clamping device at each end of the frame to cooperate with each of'the movable platens, standards at each end of the frame supporting said clamping devices, a plurality of hell crank levers pivoted to theirame each having one arm connected to one of the movable platens, a plurality of bell crank levers 'pivotally supported on said standards, means connecting said lastnamed bell crank levers tocertain of said clamping devices by a direct connection and mothers of said clamping devices by a lost motion connection, and means connecting the bell cranklevers on the standards to those on the frame'to insure equal movement of the clamping devices and platens.

' JAM M. W. GRANT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Schriver Sept. 4, 1923 Schnuck Mar. 28, 1939 'Irishman et al July 22, 19 11 'Camerota Oct. 27,-1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 'Country Date Germany Oct. 15, 1929 Number 

